Chapter I: Foreword: By the Editor

This book is what it purports to be: the work of one who entered the navy as a boy, went through the rudiments with more or less of satisfaction; sailed to China, where he smelt powder in the capture of Canton and the disastrous attempt to take the Taku forts; then visited Japan, and returned home a smart young topman. He kept a “log,” as he calls it, during his term of service; and my editing has consisted, for the most part, in persuading him to copy his log twice over, with such advice as to suppression, elucidation, coherence, and consistency as was required for the presentation of the narrative in a readable form. Apart from this, I thought it best that the young fellow, who has some capability for telling a story, should tell it in his own way; especially as a boy’s opinions, in their total disregard of consequences, charm us by their freshness and sincerity.

It is not often that we get a narrative of sea-life from the lower-deck of a Queen’s ship. The quarter-deck has told us the tale many a time, and we know pretty well what its experiences are, and what it thinks about seamen and the service generally, and about foreign countries: here we have the tale told from a subordinate point of view--the lower-deck telling us what it thinks of the quarter-deck--and with somewhat of the rough outspoken commentary and criticism habitual with mariners. It is oftentimes profitable to hear both sides of an argument.

For boys who have a longing for the sea this book may prove instructive. They will find herein information about the course of training through which a sailor-boy must pass, and the trials that he may expect to meet with; about his conflict with wind and water, his robust duties, dangerous adventures, and boisterous recreations; about his weeks of wearisome idleness that breed discontent, and the opportunities afforded him for seeing the world. But it must be confessed that the book does not present us with an attractive picture of the naval service; partly from the very nature of the circumstances in which it originated; partly from the author’s habit of regarding the state of his own feelings as of primary importance. He had not then discovered that resolute fulfilment of duty is sweeter far than happiness.

Nevertheless, I heartily recommend this little book, feeling assured that if only because of its honesty, it well deserves any word that I can say in its favour.

W. W.

_London, October, 1862._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Why I went into the Navy; and how--To Portsmouth--The
old Guardho--Well, Youngster! what do you want?--The
Main-deck--Encouraging Reception--Agree to enter for
Ten Years--A hard Supper, and harder Pillow--Turning
in and turning out--Rouse and Bit--A Chance for a
Wash--Pipe to Breakfast--What the Doctor said--I am
passed--Starboard and Port--Knots and Hitches--Handling a
Boat--Feather and Toss--My first Uniform--A Ditty-box--The
Mast-head--Cutlass Drill--Rifle Drill--Big Gun
Exercise--Splices, left-handed Eyes, Matthew Walker, and
Turk’s Head--Old Pipes--Hawser-eye and Dead-eye--Compass
and Lead-line--The _Sealark_--Sore Feet--A Day’s Work--Out
on a Cruise--Distress--The wrong Signal--Return to the
Guardho--The _Highflyer_--Are you Napoleon Bonyparte?--A
Lambasting 1

CHAPTER II.

At Spithead--Admiral’s Inspection--Sail to Plymouth--Departure
from England--My first Look-out--How to see--Phosphorescent
Waves--Making Sail--Our two Gun-boats--The _Plover’s_
Hawser breaks--A Growl--Calms and Breezes--A Day’s
Routine--Work and Watches--Land ho! The Peak of
Teneriffe--Anchor off Santa Cruz--A Run on Shore--Mules,
Fishwomen, and Shopkeepers--To Sea again--A Taste of
Black List--Strike me lucky--Guy Fawkes--Equatorial
Weather--Coming down anyhow--A Bit of Fun--Buckets and
Hoses--A Drencher for Captain and Chaplain--Cross the
Line--Shaving and Bathing--Besiegers and Besieged--An
Officer’s Honour, and a Pig’s Feathers--Make him speak,
Bull-dogs--Shipmates and Messmates--A rough Lick and Black
List 21

CHAPTER III.

Cape Frio--Arrive at Rio de Janeiro--Magnificent
Harbour--An Hour on Shore--Crucifix-bearers--Wooden
Collars--The Captain’s good Advice--Christmas
Day--Plum-duff--Close-reefed Topsails--A Sight of Tristan
de Acunha--The Gun-boats cast off--Algoa Bay--Foul
Weather--Money landed in Surf-boats--Port Elizabeth at
a Distance--Discontent--Natal--A Snuffler--Simon’s Bay,
Cape of Good Hope--Romantic Scene--Bullock-wagons--A
brooming Party--Savage Landscape--A good Word for
Government--Sailors’ Orchards--A fresh Departure--Four
Gun-boats--A Truant--Strait of Sunda--Boatswain
Birds--Anjeer--Java--Sumatra--Singapore--Something to laugh
at--Waterspout--Arrival at Hong-Kong--The Letter-bag--News
from Home 37

CHAPTER IV.

The Pratta Shoal--The Wreck--The Pirates--Another
Wreck--Prospect of Hong-Kong--Wantchee Dinner--Up the
River--Bocca Tigris--Getting it properly--A Chinese
Landscape--Plenty of Swamp-seed--Our Anchorage--Boats to
Fatsan--A Dose for the Longtails--A dark Watch--Capture
of Chuenpee--Trophies: unboiled Goat and boiled
Rice--Chasing a Pirate--Bird-scarers--Alarm of
Fire--Inspection by Admiral Sir Michael Seymour--The
Growlers pacified--Crickets and Bullfrogs--Theatrical
Amusement--Discontent--Drop down the River--A
Funeral--Hong-Kong, and a Run on Shore--A Prospect--The
old Anchorage again--Flogging and Tail-lopping--Rowing
Guard-boat--Cooking and Story-telling--A Sanpan of
Thieves--Prizes without Profit--A Grumble--See-no-more’s
Fund 54

CHAPTER V.

Ho! for Canton--The Bombardment commences--Howling--Our
Landing--The rough March--Our first Brush with Johnny--The
Bivouac--Our strange Position--On Picket--Shells
and Rockets--Hot Tea and no Sleep!--What I thought
about--Come on, my Lads--A nasty Hero--The Rendezvous--Our
Advance--Scaling the Walls--Jamming a Frenchman--Five
Pounds for a Flag!--Inside the Walls--Wanton firing--A
Charge--Wounded Natives--Scorching Explosions--Canton
ours--Marooning and Feasting--Cries of Distress--Chinese
Girl--A Rescue--The Provost-marshal--Stop! or I’ll fire--An
Escape--Horrid Prisons--Yeh’s Slaughter-ground--Competitive
Headsmen--Mandarin Funeral--A white Affair and rather
jolly--Body-guard and Musicians--A good Son--On Board a
Junk--Return to our Ship 71

CHAPTER VI.

More Grumbling--Sailing Orders: Hurrah!--A Trial of
Patience--Sail from Hong-Kong for Shanghai--Beating past
Formosa--Danger ahead--’Bout Ship--An anxious Moment--The
Danger escaped--Woosung--Anchor at Shanghai--The Nobs--Life
in the Streets--Coolie Jams--Sedan-bearers’ Salutes--Shops
and Shopkeepers--Buddhist Temple--The Worshippers--Ogling
and carving--Divination by Sticks--Big Ear and Big
Eye--Yankee Rowdies--Broken Heads--Hot Weather--Patience
rewarded--A Parcel from Home--An Alarm--Attempt
at Murder--Feeders on Christians--You English one
Rogue--Fern Tea--Carrion Food--A Rat Scramble--Sea
Spawn--Chinese and English Landscapes--Chinese Painters
and Pile-drivers--Fourth of July--Dogs and Sailors classed
together--A Warning to Old Ugly--Funeral Rites 87

CHAPTER VII.

The Dead Sister’s Plate and Chopsticks--Tremendous Feat--A
Chinese Theatre--Poor Stuff--The Mail--Excitement--The
Rush for Jondy--Do your Duty, come what may--One
Piecey English Thief--Nigpoo Tom--Brawling
Boatmen--Baby Boatmen--Buoys for Baby-boys--Pastimes--A
Cruise for Health--Lucong--Picturesque
Scenery--Forget-me-not--Hospitable Cottagers--Their
Dinner--Libations of Samshu--Seamen’s Distraction--Lucong
Farmers--Thrashing Machine--The Joss-house--A
Surprise--More Hospitality--A Dinner in Public--Number
One Piecey--A Party for the _Inflexible_--Help for
_Laplace_--Ingenious Steering Contrivance--Towing a Cripple 107

CHAPTER VIII.

Preparing to tow--A Squabble--Drifting astern--Ease her!
Stop her!--Coutez la Rope--Return to Shanghai--Another
Christmas--New Year’s Day--Cold Weather--Freezing
a Brass Monkey--Feast of Lanterns--Millions of
Lights--Unfair Dealing--The unlucky Jeweller--Unlucky
Greengrocer--Unworthy Englishmen--English
Talkee--Chin-chin, Jack--Consequences of Idleness--Rambles
on Shore--A Lower-deck at Dinner-time--Criticism on
Beef--Yankee Navy _versus_ English Navy--A royal Reason
why--The First Lord and the Grub--A Man of Bread--A few
Remarks about Food--Very nice Meat--Night Quarters--A
Broadside--Uproar--Obeying Instructions--Another Alarm--All
adrift--A Yankee Skipper 121

CHAPTER IX.

Anticipations of Work--The _Powhattan’s_ Salute--Sail for the
Peiho--Excitement on Board--Arrival of Mr. Bruce--Interview
with the Chinese Commandant--We embark--Advance to the Taku
Forts--Attempt to blow up the Barrier--What old Archie
said--Gun-boats under Way--A Jam--Well done, _Opossum_--The
saucy _Plover_--We join the _Starling_--Aground hard and
fast--The Fight begins--Dodging the Cannon-balls--Well
done, _Cormorant_!--Smart Work--We pull to the
Admiral--Death at my Elbow--At it again--Lie down,
Men!--Unlucky Teapot--The Landing-party--We pull to the
Shore--Death in the Mud--Hit by a Shot--The wounded
Officer--Death in the Rushes--The Don’t-care Feeling--The
Retreat--Light-balls--A terrible Trudge--Don’t care
again--A narrow Escape--A Sip of Life--The Boats at
last--Sleepers in the Gun-boat 135

CHAPTER X.

The _Banterer’s_ Deck--An ugly Sight--Sad Thoughts--Saying
their Say--Jack’s Opinion of the Admiral--The Killed
and Wounded--What they killed each other for--The
Forts again--Battering the _Banterer_--Long Tom--Woe
to the _Nimrod_--The last Shot--Spare the Dead--In we
go again--Chinaman’s Triumph--Night Work--The British
Flag and Sam Collinson--Snarling Forts--Burning the
_Plover_--The Admiral’s Thanks and Jack’s Growl--We return
to Shanghai--Sham Sympathisers 156

CHAPTER XI.

Disturbance in the City--Armed Patrol--The Club-house--A
luxurious Breakfast--A Word for Growlers--Another
Disturbance--Drifting and Howling--Down in the Dust--A
Buster of Coffee--An Attack of Ophthalmia--Good News--Hey!
for Japan--Vladimir Bay--Grand Scenery--A Fishing
Party--Merry Hauling--An unstiffened Lieutenant--Fine
Salmon--Toad-fish--Slime-dabs--Native Fishermen--A fine
Place for Robinson Crusoe--Off Nagasaki--A beautiful
Coast--A charming Harbour--At Anchor 166

CHAPTER XII.

My first Walk in Japan--A Paradise after China--Clean
Streets--Clean Houses--Hard Beds--Policemen--A
Temple--Queer Worship--Chanting and Drumming--The
exhorting Gong--English much goodee--Kanagawa--Hospitable
Population--The Baths and Dress--On Shore at
Yeddo--The Tycoon’s Palace--Water-Nymphs--Sandalled
Horses--Bakers--Cheap Fare and Fruit--Hakodadi--Stoned
Roofs--Fish caught by Noise--Huckster-boats--Custom-house
Officers--The Governor’s Visit--The State Barge--A Party
for the Burial-ground--The Sacred Fire--The ancient
Fireman--Pack-horses--A grateful Kiss--Flagstaff and Salute 175

CHAPTER XIII.

Departure from Hakodadi--The _Highflyer_ aground--Kanagawa
again--Japanese Diet and Junks--Rowing anyhow--Domestic
Life--Hatred of Chinamen--What the Highflyers
thought--Departure--Touch at Shanghai--Hong-Kong: a
Disappointment--Growling with a Cause--Our Captain goes
Home--Up to Whampoa--Our new Captain--A Dab-down--The
Mud Dock Builders--Study under Difficulties--Messmates
and Crossmates--The Admiral’s Visit--My Messmates--A
Run on French Island--Cotton-cleaning--Warlike
Preparations--Scenes on Shore 191

CHAPTER XIV.

A few Words to Boys who want to go to
Sea--Characteristics--Talk about Books--Swallowing
a Johnson--Sneaking from Church--Seamen’s
Prayer--Disreputable Officers--The Servants not the
Service--Man the Ropes--The Lieutenant’s Dog--Craft on
the Creeks--The Tax-boat--Canoes and Capers--Rambles in
Canton--Deities for Sale--False Tails--Street Gamblers--A
Sing-song--The Temple of Five Hundred Gods--The City Wall
and Scenes beheld therefrom--French Headquarters--Yeh’s
Park--A threatened Flogging--Our Chaplain 209

CHAPTER XV.

An agreeable Surprise--Ordered to Swatow--Pirates--The weary
Anchorage again--Pay-day and Auction Sales--Relief at
last--Happy Highflyers--Departure from Whampoa--Hurrah
for Home!--Working with a Will--Departure from
Hong-Kong--Caught in a Cyclone--The Trades--Glorious
Sailing--The _Roman Emperor_--Do you want the
Longitude?--Snarley-yow’s Growl--Simon’s Bay--Departure
from the Cape--The Long Pig or the Short Pig?--The Bill of
Portland--Anchor at Spithead--Wives and Sweethearts--Joys
and Sorrows--The Chaplain’s Advice--Pay-day and
Liberty--Home--Getting a Discharge--Conclusion 228

APPENDIX 246

A SAILOR-BOY’S LOG-BOOK.